Ignite score 14, but the Steam score more

The two teams combined for 32 hits and 30 runs in an offensive slugfest that started late in the rain and wind. The two teams battled through a 30-minute weather delay to start the game and faced the weather in the first four innings before the sun peeked through the clouds at the top of the fifth. Mia Johnson (UW-Parkside) would hit her first home run of the year, and Brynn Daniel (Northwestern State) would hit her first home run as an Ignite.

How it Happened

The Ignite would trail early, going down 4-0 in the first inning. Then, lead-off batter Mia Johnson would hit a home run on the first pitch she saw. Quinn Marnocha (SDSU) would get her second hit of the year up next, and Riley Schwisow would reach on a hit by pitch. Marnocha would score on a sac fly by Claire Calmes (UW-Madison), setting the game at 4-2.

A 1-2-3 inning by the Ignite defence in the top of the second included a Claire Calmes foul-territory catch over a falling Riley Schwisow (Northwestern State).  At the bottom of the inning, a Morgan Smith (Prairie View A&M) walk, a Sydney Spear (UW-Madison) single, and a Mia Johnson walk. Quinn Marnocha would notch another RBI off another sac fly to set the score at 4-3. 

Another no-run inning by Riley Stiles (Lake Forrest) in the third would allow the Ignite offence to pick up where they left off. Marley Teasly (Washington), Mia Buske (SDSU) and Morgan Smith would all walk to load the bases before Sydney Spear would step up to bat, where Teasly and Buske would score after an error by the second baseman. Mia Johnson would bring home Morgan Smith on a sac fly for Wausau to capture their first lead of the game, 6-4. 

Cassidy Gall (Drake) would come in for relief in the fourth, where the Steam would score five, taking back the lead. Wausau up to bat next would see Claire Calmes single to get on base, Marley Teasley double to put runners in scoring position, and then Ava Arenz (Northern Colorado) would enter to pinch hit. Arenz would double and bring home Teasley and Calmes. Morgan Smith would then reach on a single, and Sydney Spear would advance runners and allow Arenz to score on a 4-3 putout. Mia Johnson would score another RBI on the night with a sac fly to bring home Morgan Smith. The Ignite would take back the lead 10-9.

Cassidy Gall and the Wausau defence would go 1-2-3 and bring home four more runs in the fifth. Madison Werner (UW-Madison), in for Schwisow, would walk, and then Brynn Daniel would launch her first home run as an Ignite into left field. Calmes would double, and Marley Teasly would bring home Calmes on a single to center. Arenz would single, and Morgan Smith would single to bring home Teasly. The Ignite would lengthen their lead to 14. 

In the sixth, the Steam would retaliate once again with two runs off of two hits and an error in the top of the sixth. The Ignite would leave two on base to close the sixth 14-11

In the top of the seventh, the Ignite would give up five runs on seven hits, taking the lead 16-14 with Riley Stiles coming back into the game for Maya Rudy (Benedictine). The Ignite would go three up and three down to end the game.

Stats and Facts

• The Ignite were just three runs shy of breaking their run record of 16, set on July 25th  last year in a 16-5 win over La Crosse. 
• 8 Ignite players would reach base for the first time this season. 
• Brynn Daniel would hit her first home run in an Ignite uniform.
• Mia Johnson would hit the 12th home run of her three-year Northwoods League career and 10th with the Ignite. 

Coming Up

The Ignite will continue their homestand with a two-game series against the newest team in the Northwoods League, Grand Forks, on Friday the 12th. First pitch is set for game one at 6:35 on Flo Sports. 

You can stay up to date with the Ignite by visiting ignitesoftball.com and catching all games live on Flo Sports or select games on All Women’s Sports Network.

 

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Leveraging the 31-year success of the Northwoods League, the first for-profit Summer Collegiate Baseball League, Northwoods League Softball (NWLS) is the first for-profit Women’s Summer Collegiate Softball League beginning play in the Upper Midwest in the summer of 2024. The purpose of the League will be to develop players for their college, Olympic and future professional play. Teams will be promoted similar to minor league baseball teams, playing games in front of fans in a fun, friendly, family-oriented environment.